SPRINGFIELD, Mo., October 7, 2025 – Drury University has been awarded a grant totalling $680, 750 from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) for a TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) program at the university’s Drury GO Monett location. The federal grant spans five years, with Drury GO Monett receiving the first annual installment of $136,150 in September.
The overall goal of the TRiO Student Support Services program is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants. The federal program primarily serves students who are either first-generation, income-eligible as defined by DOE or have a documented disability. Drury GO Monett will be able to serve a minimum of 70 students per year under terms of the grant.
“I am deeply proud of the Monett team’s dedication and vision,” Senior Director of Drury GO Monett Rhonda Schilly said. “TRiO Student Support Services will be the cornerstone of our student support strategy and reflects our shared belief that higher education should be a gateway to opportunity for all. We look forward to building a vibrant TRiO community on campus and celebrating the success stories that will emerge from this initiative.”
The new funding will allow Drury GO Monett to build its TRiO program from the ground up. Once it begins, the TRiO program will provide overall student support services, including workshops on financial literacy, graduate school application support and assistance completing financial aid paperwork, while also focusing on student retention and the addition of experienced academic tutors. The program is open to both full- and part-time students.
Plans also include physical space for the TRiO program, which will include a tutoring center that allows students to have access to technology and printing services for academically-related needs.
Visit drury.edu/go to learn more about Drury GO and Drury GO Monett.
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Media Contact: Cris Belvin, Director of University Communications & Media Relations | (417) 873-7392 | gbelvin@drury.edu